WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

PROCLAMATION

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ”  Matthew 25:21 and 23 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to the Apostle Matthew.  As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, He continued to speak to His disciples.  He told them the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), the Parable of the Bags of Gold (Matthew 25:14-30), and He also told them about The Sheep and the Goats. (Matthew 25:31-46)  Five of the virgins were wise and prepared ahead of time and five were foolish and did not so they were not ready when the time came.  Two of the servants used wisely what their master had given to them and were rewarded with “Well done …” while the one servant who did nothing was punished.  The King will separate the sheep from the goats, one people from another, and those who treated the needy people kindly were rewarded, and those who didn’t were punished.  He said, “… As ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

APPLICATION

We ought to get ready now for the return of Christ.  Delaying and procrastinating may cause us to be left behind like the five foolish virgins.  We all have God-given abilities and gifts which we need to use to His glory.  We should give of our time, talent, and treasure to the kingdom building efforts here on earth while we are able to do so.  When the time comes, we will be rewarded for our work. (Matthew 16:27)  We also need to be very careful regarding how we treat people.  Christ said, as you have done it to them, you have done it to Him. (Matthew 25:40)  But He also said, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me. (Matthew 25:45)  This clearly states that we can sin by commission and by omission.  When we don’t do that which we should do, we also sin.  Doing nothing can be sinful, especially when we have the opportunity to help someone and we don’t do it.  Let us not waste our God-given abilities and gifts, let us work to the glory of God.